Nairn drug dealer nabbed in police raid

A DRUG dealer was caught red-handed with a stash of drugs and cash during a raid at a house in Nairn.

But David Cruickshank avoided a jail sentence after being found with cocaine worth £3,000.

Instead he was fined £5,000 when he appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court this week.

The court heard David Cruickshank (22), who now lives in Glasgow, had returned to Nairn to look after his father after the death of his mother.

He admitted possession of heroin at Albyn Court, Nairn, on July 27 last year and being involved in the supply of cocaine at Albyn Court between April and July of last year.

Depute fiscal Ian Smith said police had a search warrant and entered the house through an insecure back door about 1.30pm.

“He was found in his bedroom and a total of 62.2 grammes of cocaine were recovered.”

Mr Smith said the cocaine had a potential street value of £3,110 and two grammes of heroin worth £200 were also found along with £1,300 in 13 £100 bundles.

“Cruickshank was interviewed and said he had no income,” the fiscal said and added Jobseekers allowance had been stopped because of his refusal to apply for a job,

Marc Dickson, solicitor, said Cruickshank had returned to Nairn because his father was not coping after his mother’s death. “It had been a difficult time for him as well. He was depressed and began keeping fairly poor company”

Mr Dickson said he had been given the cocaine to look after and make up in wraps to pay off a drug debt. “He was holding not only drugs but drugs related paraphernalia.”

Mr Dickson said Cruickshank had a job awaiting him in Glasgow where he was due to marry soon and start a new life away from this part of the world.

Sheriff Ian Abercrombie told Cruickshank the case had caused him great difficulty. “Normally people involved in the supply of drugs would expect to go to prison. Even if your involvement is simply to wrap them up you are involved in the supply chain.”

Fining Cruickshank £5,000, he warned him he would go to prison if he was caught dealing drugs again.